Life Solved
Nuclear Power: Mythbusting and Smart Diagnosis by Victor Becerra
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Episode notes
Life Solved is back this Autumn with a brand new series, and to kick us off, we unpick the complex world of nuclear power plants.
As we look to a future of renewable energy options, nuclear energy is back on the table for discussion. Its low carbon footprint presents a greener alternative to fossil fuels, but how does it measure up to wind and solar power when you’re looking at costs, waste and environmental impact?
Professor Victor Becerra worked for a power generation company earlier in his career before going into research and academic posts. He came to the University of Portsmouth in 2015 where he’s led two projects on control and monitoring of nuclear plants.
He joins us to explain how nuclear reactors work and why they’re getting safer thanks to design and technology to make the handling and managing of nuclear power and nuclear waste better.
He also explains how new kinds of reactors are in development to help recycle waste as part of the system, and how Cybernetics has helped him consider whole energy systems (including the human element) of design, to make them work for us, safely.
USEFUL LINKS
Find out about Professor Victor Becerra and his work
https://researchportal.port.ac.uk/en/persons/victor-becerra
How do nuclear power stations work?
https://www.energy.gov/ne/articles/nuclear-101-how-does-nuclear-reactor-work
Is Nuclear energy renewable?
https://www.nhm.ac.uk/discover/quick-questions/is-nuclear-energy-renewable.html
How the Fast Breeder Reactor Works
https://www.britannica.com/technology/liquid-metal-fast-breeder-reactor
Control Systems and Cybernetics
https://www.techopedia.com/definition/6709/cybernetics
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